New Akira TV Series

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GaijinPunch
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New Akira TV Series

Post by GaijinPunch »

Not sure how I feel about this. My phone gave me a better article but oh, well. See below. Apprently it's a TV series, and "not a sequel". Sounds like a reboot. Those are always awesome.
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Re: New Akira TV Series

Post by Stormwatch »

That could be a good thing. A TV series would let you adapt the whole manga without the cuts and compression of the '88 version.
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Re: New Akira TV Series

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What's the worse that can happen :roll:
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Re: New Akira TV Series

Post by Vludi »

It definitely will not match the movie's animation, but I hope they do a good job adapting the manga.
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Re: New Akira TV Series

Post by Randorama »

I am too lazy to dig up the link on myanimelist or whatever is called, but apparently Otomo would like to direct a faithful adaption of the manga. I have read more than once that this was a constant wish in the back of his mind once he completed the manga, so he will probably push to avoid "unmotivated" changes. The manga was at time labyrinthine in its plot and some sub-plots simply were tangents to the main narration, so this adaption may avoid the problem if Otomo sees it that way.

Said this, it seems that the main characters will be a bit older, and I guess that a few changes to avoid complaints and R-ratings on sites such as Netflix (who *might* be forking money for this, since they have been active for other productions as well) will be in place. I remember that Tetsuo and Kaneda were 15-16 and taking various types of pills; maybe they will be of legal age for pills, in this version :lol:

Personally, I hope that they can have the Yamashirogumi collective (spelling?) to be involved in some form or another. My small pet peeve is that Akira used recycled material and re-arrangements from their older suites/albums/compositions (whatever you want to call them).

New material would be great, in my humble opinion. If there is something that the modern anime industry is horrendous at, is the creation of even just mediocre film scores; most '80s productions were simply superior: more daring, innovative, atmospheric, etc.

I would also not be surprised if this will be a very long project in the vein of the Gundam UC series. Again, the manga was long and at times meandering; a faithful adaption would easily be 3 hours per volume, for a total of 6 volumes (i.e. 18 hours, or roughly 50 episodes of a standard anime).

Now, if we could get the same treatment for Nausicaä, the world would probably be a better place (and we could just close the anime industry for good; they would have served their purpose!).
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Re: New Akira TV Series

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Randorama wrote: Personally, I hope that they can have the Yamashirogumi collective (spelling?) to be involved in some form or another. My small pet peeve is that Akira used recycled material and re-arrangements from their older suites/albums/compositions (whatever you want to call them).
Not exactly. The "group" generally takes some flavor of world music, the adds some Japanese to it. Otomo hired them after hearing Ecophony Rinne which is pretty experimental when compared to a lot of their other stuff. Inspiration of Akira then made it's way into Ecophony Gaia. Anyway, the Akira soundtrack was entirely new, and was famously composed in tandem with the film, using descriptions of scenes instead of actual film. They just did what they usually did w/ all types of indigenous music.

That being said, I'm hoping for the best soundtrack wise, but most definitely expecting the worst.

Anyway, I think the reasons this will suck are pretty apparent. There's no way a TV show is going to aim at an audience any higher than high school - in both theme and design. (Anyone actually like the way GiTS Arise looks?) Also not a fan at all of the CGI that's not blended in seamlessly (which is basically all of it) which means I usually stick to old stuff.

Anyway, we shall see I suppose.
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Re: New Akira TV Series

Post by brokenhalo »

Stormwatch wrote:That could be a good thing. A TV series would let you adapt the whole manga without the cuts and compression of the '88 version.
After reading the manga, I was kinda disappointed with the movie in hindsight, and thought that the story would have made more sense as a tv series. I'm optimistic about this.
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Re: New Akira TV Series

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GaijinPunch wrote:
Not exactly. The "group" generally takes some flavor of world music, the adds some Japanese to it. Otomo hired them after hearing Ecophony Rinne which is pretty experimental when compared to a lot of their other stuff. Inspiration of Akira then made it's way into Ecophony Gaia. Anyway, the Akira soundtrack was entirely new, and was famously composed in tandem with the film, using descriptions of scenes instead of actual film. They just did what they usually did w/ all types of indigenous music.

That being said, I'm hoping for the best soundtrack wise, but most definitely expecting the worst.
That's the one aspect I kept thinking about. I don't have a copy of Ecophony Rinne with me, but I remember that 2-3 themes in Akira are rather similar to pieces in Rinne, to the point of sounding like re-arrangements to untrained ears, and a similar discussion with you on this very topic (is this a false memory?).

I am simply not educated in composition, but I remember you or someone else explaining that e.g. Dolls and the Clown themes (OK, too lazy to check the correct titles) use similar melodies and arrangements from 2-3 songs on Rinne, on purpose. To my subjective ear, it sounds like they were too similar, whence the previous comment (...and I would like to test this again once I get a copy or Rinne).

To be honest and they could just re-arrange the original OST. It would be more than enough, even if it is would be a ultra-safe option. I cannot think of a modern anime that does not have ear-grating, obscenely unimaginative music except for the odd decent (and just that) ending/beginning songs. It's like Hollywood producers and composers, who clearly suffer from amusia, also induced amusia in anime producers and artists, wtf.
Anyway, I think the reasons this will suck are pretty apparent. There's no way a TV show is going to aim at an audience any higher than high school - in both theme and design. (Anyone actually like the way GiTS Arise looks?) Also not a fan at all of the CGI that's not blended in seamlessly (which is basically all of it) which means I usually stick to old stuff.
Anyway, we shall see I suppose.

The little actual information on this I have found so far points to Otomo pushing to avoid any edulcoration of themes and scenes: that is, avoid trying to sell it (out) to teens. This *might* be possible if he has backers such as Netflix behind him, because he could target older generations and long-time fans, i.e. people who will only pay for a faithful adaption...and be sure that the whole exercise is at least able to break even via the help of some company that can handle this kind of marketing strategy.

So, my actual fear is that Otomo will butcher his own creation, on the grounds that he may wish to "improve" the original work. I cannot honestly recall the last time he worked on a Manga or an anime, and produced something memorable.

I recall Steam boy being bland and silly, and The Legend of Mother Sarah having a mess of a plot, and taking forever to finish ( but Akira the manga also took forever to finish). In theory, if he directs and simply goes back to the original work and follows it panel by panel, it should be fine. The constant impression I have from him, from 2000 or so, is that his days as author ended with Akira, and the rest was rubbish to keep the money rolling. Sorry to put it in such a blunt way.

The more I think about it, the more I think this would idea have worked 27 years ago, not now. Meh.
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Re: New Akira TV Series

Post by GaijinPunch »

Randorama wrote: To be honest and they could just re-arrange the original OST. It would be more than enough, even if it is would be a ultra-safe option. I cannot think of a modern anime that does not have ear-grating, obscenely unimaginative music except for the odd decent (and just that) ending/beginning songs. It's like Hollywood producers and composers, who clearly suffer from amusia, also induced amusia in anime producers and artists, wtf.
He sort of has already. Hard to call it a re-arrangement, but the most recent vinyl release was done from a remaster they did for... something. Anyway, it's slightly rearranged (and I think the sound quality inferior). It's substantially more quiet (and less full) than the original OST's very limited vinyl release (which is only half the OST, sadly). So that's the first red flag for me. It's not like it's ruined... just definitely not as good.
I recall Steam boy being bland and silly, and The Legend of Mother Sarah having a mess of a plot, and taking forever to finish ( but Akira the manga also took forever to finish). In theory, if he directs and simply goes back to the original work and follows it panel by panel, it should be fine. The constant impression I have from him, from 2000 or so, is that his days as author ended with Akira, and the rest was rubbish to keep the money rolling. Sorry to put it in such a blunt way.
This seems spot on to me. I recall talking w/ NTSC-J at the Gengaten years ago, where he said, "someone needs to just give this guy a pencil and have him draw manga the rest of his life". Harsh to call him a one-trick pony, but as a director he only knocked one out of the park. His segments of Memories,, Manie Manie, and Robot Carnival were memorable though.
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Re: New Akira TV Series

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Vludi wrote:It definitely will not match the movie's animation, but I hope they do a good job adapting the manga.
Unless they somehow manage to caral a crazy combination of Mad House, Gonzo and David Pro to work on this thing coupled with an obscene budget, then yeah... the animation in this series is going to resemble a slide show in comparison to the film.


Having said that... watch this get handed to A1 Pictures...
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Re: New Akira TV Series

Post by KAI »

Going from lip sync animation to modern animation will be shit, and japan can't do good mechanical designs and FXs anymore.
Also remember that all of otomo's animations since 2000 have been CG
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Re: New Akira TV Series

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Good. Unlike Sailormoon, an adaption of the Akira manga is actually necessary.

Here's hoping it isn't just 3D CGI like that new Lupin movie.
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Re: New Akira TV Series

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I'm pessimistic, one day or another everything mango and animu born from the 70's to the 90's gets raped either by Hollywood or Japan itself.

Doing the complete Akira justice today is nearly impossible, that'd require tons of (now rare) talents and money no production is ready to invest into.

Whether the animation sucks or not won't be the #1 issue though, what you can expect to lack the most will be the spirit.




OT rant: Because faithfully recreating and successfully passing on the essence of stuff from decades ago, instill the same 'ideology', mood/feelings/atmosphere, to today's audiences must be one of the hardest exercises in arts whatever they are, and in many other areas too.
I mean that even if the original creator is involved, everyone changes significantly over decades and large parts of the persons we were back then disappear completely, no exceptions, and that's law at the macro scale too, naturally.
All the retro/reboot/sequel/adaptation* market we've been eating almost since the beginning of the 21st Century only shows how much we miss the old times and find the present shitty, though who can deny that ongoing trend has been a pathetic experience for the most part? it couldn't have gone much better anyway, clinging to the past in nostalgia is one easy thing, but resurrecting it - and do it right - is on the level of finding the philosopher's stone.

* Just try to list revivals that have done their 20~30~40 years old originals real justice. Not easy eh ?
I'd argue that even a decade or so is enough to nearly erase something that was, no matter in how many people's minds, and again; even from the creator's.
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Re: New Akira TV Series

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Xyga wrote:* Just try to list revivals that have done their 20~30~40 years old originals real justice. Not easy eh ?
Turbo Kid.

Although the rarity for that kind of success is part of the reason I love the film so much. I'm actually dreading the Turbo Kid 2 in the works, even though RKSS has shown they still got it. (Turbo Kid 1 spoilerz in that link!)
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Re: New Akira TV Series

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Mischief Maker wrote:
Xyga wrote:* Just try to list revivals that have done their 20~30~40 years old originals real justice. Not easy eh ?
Turbo Kid.

Although the rarity for that kind of success is part of the reason I love the film so much. I'm actually dreading the Turbo Kid 2 in the works, even though RKSS has shown they still got it. (Turbo Kid 1 spoilerz in that link!)
That's not really a revival though. It just plays on nostalgia, no?

Akira was lightening in a bottle for a lot of reasons... I hate to say it, but one of the main ones is b/c Japan at the time had more money than God, and they threw a shitload of it at the production... enough to not recoup it in it's domestic cinematic run. Where's Japan now? Much less money, much less unique productions, shit loads of targets to hit. If it's just okay I think that'll be a win. I just don't think it's gonna be.
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Re: New Akira TV Series

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GaijinPunch wrote:
Mischief Maker wrote:
Xyga wrote:* Just try to list revivals that have done their 20~30~40 years old originals real justice. Not easy eh ?
Turbo Kid.

Although the rarity for that kind of success is part of the reason I love the film so much. I'm actually dreading the Turbo Kid 2 in the works, even though RKSS has shown they still got it. (Turbo Kid 1 spoilerz in that link!)
That's not really a revival though. It just plays on nostalgia, no?
Okay, uh... Battlestar Galactica?

Or if it needs to be the same people, Mad Max Fury Road?
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Re: New Akira TV Series

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Mischief Maker wrote: Okay, uh... Battlestar Galactica?

Or if it needs to be the same people, Mad Max Fury Road?
If The Thing (or BGS or Fury Road) were the gold standard of remake/reboot/distant sequel, then nobody would be bitching. These are exceptions to the rule.

Yes, I get it, reserve judgement, blah blah blah. I stand by my pessimism though. :)
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Re: New Akira TV Series

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Twin Peaks 8) (you're not allowed to forget or ima call you GaijinPunk)

There's been too many franchises revivals on TV and film since the start of the century to remember all (+ mango & animu thats a lot), but for me that's the one on top.
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Re: New Akira TV Series

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Xyga wrote:Twin Peaks 8) (you're not allowed to forget or ima call you GaijinPunk)

There's been too many franchises revivals on TV and film since the start of the century to remember all (+ mango & animu thats a lot), but for me that's the one on top.
The Return is better than the original TV show... on par w/ FWWM. Again, exceptions to the rule (and that one they worked in as a 100% proper sequel.) I'll even add another fantastic one: Deadwood.

So... someone find me an anime franchise that came back 20 years later and is remotely as good as it's original material? (Animated, not manga).
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Re: New Akira TV Series

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GaijinPunch wrote: So... someone find me an anime franchise that came back 20 years later and is remotely as good as it's original material? (Animated, not manga).
Yamato, of course. The rest can be thrown away.
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Re: New Akira TV Series

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Randorama wrote:
GaijinPunch wrote: So... someone find me an anime franchise that came back 20 years later and is remotely as good as it's original material? (Animated, not manga).
Yamato, of course. The rest can be thrown away.
I've already made my case why it's a turd. Well, it's mediocre. Some good things... definitely some bad (unforgivable CGI... which is what I fear most for Akira). They took the nostalgia route on the music, but not the character designs. Maybe too expensive? Dunno. It took me ages to get through that one, and I adore the original. Not gonna bother w/ 2202.
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Re: New Akira TV Series

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GaijinPunch wrote: I've already made my case why it's a turd.
...Yes, but I can already imagine us sitting on a bench in a park, in 2045, hats and walking canes and such, and me telling you why the Yamato remake is great...and so on :lol:

Jokes and wild tangents aside, I agree with what you mentioned a few posts back: Otomo should probably back to the drawing board, quite literally. I believe that his works before Akira were often great, but subsequent material...meh, especially outside manga. Then again, not everyone can be *creative*, rather than just productive, for decades on end.

I do believe that the stories in Memories were adaptations of older (i.e. pre-Akira) material, so it may not be surprising that they were quite good. And, I listened to the re-released 2017 version of the soundtrack...I am getting quite worried, yes.

I know that Sunrise will be the main studio behind this series, but I cannot think of any of their recent works as being worth of the "smooth Sunrise" label. Time will tell, but hints are beginning to be, well, depressing. Sometimes it is all about the right timing and zeitgeist, to say something fairly trite.
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Re: New Akira TV Series

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Randorama wrote: I know that Sunrise will be the main studio behind this series, but I cannot think of any of their recent works as being worth of the "smooth Sunrise" label.
That was eluded to me on FB as well, but someone I've known from forums such as this. I watch so little new I can't say for sure. I guess when it comes down to it, they're not marketing it to us, now are they? Now let's get those old canes out and hit the park.
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Re: New Akira TV Series

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GaijinPunch wrote:So... someone find me an anime franchise that came back 20 years later and is remotely as good as it's original material? (Animated, not manga).
This might be an unpopular opinion, but the Golgo 13 series from 2008 I think compares favorably to the 1983 movie. Obviously not 'as good' as the movie (or the manga for that matter), and compromises clearly had to be made due to the format, but it's still a fun watch that preserves the spirit of Golgo 13.
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Re: New Akira TV Series

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garrz32 wrote:What's the worse that can happen :roll:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jafd97yJFOI

:P :twisted:
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Re: New Akira TV Series

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it290 wrote:
GaijinPunch wrote:So... someone find me an anime franchise that came back 20 years later and is remotely as good as it's original material? (Animated, not manga).
This might be an unpopular opinion, but the Golgo 13 series from 2008 I think compares favorably to the 1983 movie. Obviously not 'as good' as the movie (or the manga for that matter), and compromises clearly had to be made due to the format, but it's still a fun watch that preserves the spirit of Golgo 13.
I actually have it in my queue. It's a bit shiny, but I think I can get over that. However, given that the manga is still ongoing, I would not call this a reboot really. He has never left pop culture, even if he wasn't plastered everywhere.
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Re: New Akira TV Series

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Specineff wrote:
garrz32 wrote:What's the worse that can happen :roll:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jafd97yJFOI

:P :twisted:
Always hilarious, but luckily this project has been put on hold (again) indefinitely.
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Re: New Akira TV Series

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An Akira tv series could be interesting, I am skeptical, but we'll see.

To me, the more interesting part of your linked article (and the announcement I am really excited for):

"On the print side, Otomo will personally edit and organize Otomo: The Complete Works, to be published by Kodansha. The project will offer fans a fresh collection of work which illustrates the trajectory of Otomo’s creations and the development of his ideas from the start of his career, with chronologically arranged artwork and statements going back to 1971. Both Japanese and international versions are planned."

As an owner of both Domu and Akira manga as well as the Genga artbook (one of my all-time favorite artbooks and a prized possession), I am extremely pumped about this news, its about time, I'd love to dig further into his older works that never made it to the west.

A little something I caught in this article: https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2 ... mo/.148648

"Otomo confirmed in 2018 that he is working on a new manga. He revealed in 2012 that he was preparing his first long series since Akira."

Hopefully this new manga makes it over here, I'm always down for some more Otomo.
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Re: New Akira TV Series

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SnotShot wrote: As an owner of both Domu and Akira manga as well as the Genga artbook (one of my all-time favorite artbooks and a prized possession), I am extremely pumped about this news, its about time, I'd love to dig further into his older works that never made it to the west.
I have the Genga T-shirt which I now realize I've not seen in a while. Gotta dig that up. I also have the poster which is pretty cool
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Re: New Akira TV Series

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This thread makes me want to read my old copy of Domu again. Can't find it... it must have been misplaced years ago... let's just see how much it would cost to get another copy... *clickety clack*--Fuuuuuck!
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